THE Macleay Valley Mustangs are now in limbo after the club's second attempt to be included in the 2015 Group Three Rugby League competition failed at a meeting held at the Wingham Services Club on Tuesday night.
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Group Three's general committee, consisting of the management and club delegates, voted 16-6 against Macleay's submission with one abstaining. Voting was by secret ballot.
The vote at the group's annual meeting in November was 15-5 against Macleay's continued participation.
The club was initially excluded from the competition by the group's management committee in October after the Mustangs lost all criteria points following a series of misdemeanors throughout the season. Macleay joined Group Three from Group Two this year and won the first grade premiership.
Country Rugby League chairman John Anderson and CEO Terry Quinn both addressed the meeting and asked the general committee to reconsider the original decision.
This week's meeting was held at the insistence of the CRL.
Macleay had a strong representation at the meeting, including all members of the newly elected committee led by president Willy Lockwood along with Kempsey Shire Council deputy mayor Lou Kesby, Melinda Pavey MLC, former NRL star Ricky Walford, former chairman of Group Two and CRL life member Greg Mayhew.
The club also had a letter of support from member for Oxley Andrew Stoner.
A number of speakers addressed the meeting. The Mustangs produced a lengthy document outlining how the club will operate and how it will crackdown on misbehavior.
However, the club failed to gain the necessary support to overturn the decision.
John Anderson earlier told the meeting this will be the club's last chance. Group Three will proceed in 2015 with seven clubs.
It is not known if Macleay will apply to play in the competition in 2016.